Ally Pays Tribute to the 47 Nominees for the 2018 TIME Dealer of the Year Award

DETROIT, Dec. 4, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ally Financial today announced that 47 auto dealers nationwide have been selected as nominees for the 2018 TIME Dealer of the Year award, one of the most prestigious automotive industry honors, recognizing successful auto dealers who also demonstrate a deep and long-standing commitment to community service.

"Only a small fraction of the roughly 16,500 franchise dealers across the country are nominated for this award each year, putting the nominees into an elite group of automotive leaders," said Tim Russi, president of auto finance at Ally. "This year's nominees have proven they understand, care and 'do it right' for their communities by giving in ways that make a difference to those in need. We are honored to celebrate their incredible stories and hope their examples motivate others to give."

The 47 nominees will be formally honored during a ceremony at the National Automobile Dealers Association's 2018 NADA Show in Las Vegas on March 23. Russi will be joined by Meredith Long, TIME senior vice president and general manager, News, Luxury & Style, to introduce the nominees.

In its seventh year as exclusive sponsor of the award program, Ally will again recognize the nominees and their community efforts by contributing $1,000 to each dealer's 501(c)(3) charity of choice. The nominees will also be highlighted on AllyDealerHeroes.com, which features the philanthropic contributions and achievements of the award honorees.

Including the 2018 charitable grants pledged to this latest group of nominees, Ally will have given nearly $600,000 as part of its commitment to the TIME Dealer of the Year program. In previous years, nominee grants have supported numerous local organizations and programs that focus on education, culture, youth athletics and nonprofits.

Recent TIME Dealer of the Year winners have included Carl Swope, president of Swope Toyota in Elizabethtown, Kentucky; Kitty Van Bortel of Van Bortel Motorcars in Rochester, N.Y.; Andy Crews of AutoFair Honda in Manchester, N.H.; Jeff Teague of Teague Auto Group in El Dorado, Ark.; Michael Alford of Marine Chevrolet in Jacksonville, N.C.; and Mike Shaw of Mike Shaw Automotive Group in Denver, Colo.

To learn more about the 2018 TIME Dealer of the Year nominees, click here.

About Ally Financial Inc.Ally Financial Inc. (NYSE: ALLY) is a leading digital financial services company and a top 25 U.S. financial holding company offering financial products for consumers, businesses, automotive dealers and corporate clients. Ally's legacy dates back to 1919, and the company was redesigned in 2009 with a distinctive brand, innovative approach and relentless focus on its customers. Ally has an award-winning online bank (Ally Bank Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender), one of the largest full service auto finance operations in the country, a complementary auto-focused insurance business, a growing digital wealth management and online brokerage platform, and a trusted corporate finance business offering capital for equity sponsors and middle-market companies.

The company had approximately $164.0 billion in assets as of September 30, 2017. For more information, visit the Ally press room at https://media.ally.com or follow Ally on Twitter: @AllyFinancial.

ABOUT TIME INC.Time Inc. (NYSE:TIME) is a leading multi-platform consumer media company that engages over 230 million consumers globally every month. The company's influential brands include PEOPLE, TIME, FORTUNE, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, INSTYLE, REAL SIMPLE, SOUTHERN LIVING and TRAVEL + LEISURE, as well as approximately 60 diverse international brands. Time Inc. offers marketers a differentiated proposition in the marketplace by combining its powerful brands, trusted content, audience scale, direct relationships with consumers and unique first-party data. The company is home to growing media platforms and extensions, including digital video, OTT, television, licensing, international markets, paid products and services and celebrated live events, such as the TIME 100, FORTUNE Most Powerful Women, PEOPLE's Sexiest Man Alive, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED's Sportsperson of the Year, the ESSENCE Festival and the FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen.